


Misunderstanding

by all-i-need-is-destiel (Aleakim)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ben thinks Cas is a woman, First Date, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstanding, mentions of past relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 19:23:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5978344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleakim/pseuds/all-i-need-is-destiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Dude, you’re so nervous – it’s hilarious!”</p><p>“<em>Shut up</em>, Ben!”</p><p>“Aw, c'mon, Dean, don’t be pissed.”</p><p>_</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misunderstanding

“Dude, you’re so nervous – it’s hilarious!”

“ _Shut up_ , Ben!”

“Aw, c'mon, Dean, don’t be pissed.”

Ben laughs loudly while watching Dean changing his outfit for the seventh time. His friend-slash-surrogate-Dad throws him a sharp glance and grits his teeth.

“Shouldn’t you be at home with your mother? And, you know, _not be here_!”

“Mom doesn’t expect me back for a few hours. I told her we would watch a movie together, like we always do. How could I’ve known you’d have a date tonight?”

It’s true, normally they hang out together, spend some _“quality man time”_ like Dean always uses to call it (and Ben rolls his eyes at the term every single time) and at the end of the day they watch a movie with a lot of explosions and car chases.

Ben always enjoys those days immensely. When Dean and his Mom broke up all these years ago Ben had been devastated, convinced he would never see Dean again. At least it happened with the guys before, so why should it be different with Dean? But Winchester-men _“don’t leave family behind”_ and Dean proved to be persistent. It’s not some stupid obligation, he really loves to have Ben around, teach him valuable stuff (especially about cars and pies – Dean’s favorite topics) and call him his _“son”_ any other day.

And Ben appreciates this more than anything. Dean is more of a father to him than any other guy who ever claimed trying to take the job.

“So, who is this mystery-date of yours?” Ben asks, grinning. He can’t help finding this whole situation entertaining. It’s been a while since Dean went on a serious date, so this woman clearly must be something special.

Something _very_ special because Dean is fidgety and nervous like a teenager before his first prom.

“Um … it’s Cas,” Dean says and yeah, he is _freaking blushing_!

Awesome!

“Cas, huh?” Ben frowns, trying to remember the name since Dean sounded like Ben should know it.

Maybe he’s talking about Cassie, his ex-girlfriend? Besides Lisa obviously the only serious relationship he ever had. Dean talked about her once or twice (and Ben saw a picture of her a few years back) and although he never seemed to feel an urge to go back to her, obviously something changed his mind about that.

Well, good for him.

“Maybe I should wear the green shirt …” Dean contemplates, eyeing his closet. For the last twenty minutes he tried several outfits and nothing seems suitable enough.

“No, no,” Ben says immediately. “You look great, trust me. Cas’s gonna love it!”

And there it is again, a flush on Dean’s cheek. Ben has never seen him like that before, so goddamned excited about a date. It’s a good look on him.

Suddenly the door bell rings and Dean stiffens. “Shit!”

“Don’t sweat it, old man,” Ben laughs. “I’ll take the door and you finish dressing like the big boy you are.”

Dean squints his eyes. “Maybe I should start teaching you some respect for your elders.”

Ben winks. “Good luck with that.”

He rushes downstairs, suddenly agitated himself to meet that lady Dean makes such a fuss about. She must be one hell of a woman!

But when he opens the door, it’s not Cassie in front of him but one of the neighbors. Ben saw him around a few times, the guy with the bees in the garden and the creepy flasher trench coat. Novak, if Ben remembers correctly.

“Hello, Ben,” he greets the boy.

“Hello, Mr. Novak,” Ben answers politely. “Can I help you with something?”

“Um … is Dean around?”

“Yeah, he is, but he’s busy at the moment.” Ben shrugs. “Preparing for a big date, you know? He’s super nervous – it’s amazing! But please don’t tell him I told you, he’d break my neck.”

Mr. Novak seems overwhelmed by all these information and apparently considers if Ben’s just joking or not.

“I won’t tell him,” he promises in the end.

“Great, thank you!” Ben smirks. “So, what is it that you need? If it’s not an emergency I’d like to ask you to come back tomorrow. Dean isn’t much of use right now anyway.”

Mr. Novak frowns, confused. “Uh … it isn’t exactly an _emergency_ …”

“Great! Then I’d suggest you come back tomorrow, okay? Goodbye, have a nice evening!”

And he closes the door before Mr. Novak gets the chance to say something else.

Back in the room Dean turns towards him with questioning eyes. “Who was it? Cas?”

Ben shakes his head. “No, just some neighbor. He wanted to see you but it’s not an emergency so I told him to come back tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay.” Dean just nods. He throws a glance at his watch that says 7.02 pm. Cassie should show up any minute now.

“Now tell me, Dean,” Ben encourages him. “Did you ask Cas out or was it the other way around? And why now?”

Dean shrugs, playing with the buttons of his shirt. “It was me, I guess. It’s a little bit fuzzy, to be perfectly honest.” He smiles. “And … yeah, we’re dancing around each other for a while now. And everybody knows around here, it’s embarrassing. And one day Sam kicked me in the ass and told me to ask the guy out. And so I did.”

Ben laughs. “Yeah, Sam can be –” But then he stops because suddenly Dean’s words sink in. “Wait, _guy_?”

“Um … yeah?”

Ben probably looks like a dumbfounded fish with his mouth wide open. “But … but …,” he splutters flabbergasted. “Since when … _guys_ …?”

Dean seems highly bewildered now. “Since forever?” he says as if he’s not sure himself.

“But … why didn’t you say something?” Ben can’t help to feel a little bit hurt. Didn’t Dean trust him with this information? Did he think Ben would react badly at the news?

But Dean still seems utterly confused. “What are you talking about, Ben? I never kept it a secret or something. I told you several times that I dated guys too.”

Huh?

“When?”

Dean rolls his eyes. “Remember the stories I told you about Ethan?”

“Your college friend with the German Shepherd and the annoying obsession with cheese? Yeah, I do.”

“My _ex-boyfriend_!” Dean clarifies.

“What?”

“Oh my God, Ben, we lived together.”

“I thought he was your roommate.”

“I told you we shared a bedroom, didn’t I?”

He did and Ben remembers vaguely how he found that information odd. “Well … I thought you were very close friends.”

Now there’s an amused glint in Dean’s eyes. “And the date with Jamie a few months ago?”

Ben’s eyes widen. “Jamie wasn’t a girl?”

Dean chuckles. “No, Ben, he’s a guy. As is Cas, by the way. You know him, you idiot! Castiel Novak, from across the street.”

“Oh.” Ben suddenly feels very very stupid. How could he have missed all that? He really should start to pay more attention when people tell him stuff and –

 _Wait_!

Did he just say …?

Castiel _Novak_?

And Dean seems to realize the exact same time. “Wait, didn’t you say there was a neighbor at the door?”

Ben’s eyes widen. “ _Shit_!” he hisses before he starts running to the front door in a rush that leaves Dean perplexed behind.

“Shit, shit, shit …!” Ben murmurs, opens the door … and sighs out in relief when he sees that Mr. Novak – no, _Castiel_ – is still there, leaning against the front porch’s balustrade, smirking.

“I was wondering how long it would take you,” he says amused.

Ben closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know … There was some miscommunication and …”

“It’s alright, Ben,” Castiel interrupts. “No harm done.”

And suddenly he starts to beam like the sun itself and Ben is confused for about a second before re realizes that Dean showed up beside him.

“Hello, Dean,” he greets the man. And Ben can see plain as the day that Castiel is as excited about this date as Dean. No wonder everyone in the neighborhood knows about those two, they’re not subtle at all.

“Hey, Cas.” Dean grins and gravitates closer to Castiel like it’s second nature. “Sorry about Ben. Obviously he doesn’t listen when grown-ups share valuable information.”

“It’s fine, Dean,” Castiel tells him. “I’m still here, as you can see.”

“Yeah, you are.”

And they stare at each other, drowning in each other’s eyes, and stare and stare … and _oh God_ , how long is this supposed to go on?

“Just go already!” Ben says exasperated. No wonder Sam kicked his brother in the ass, even two minutes are more than he can bear. “I’ll lock your door, go home and tell Mom how I’m the biggest idiot in the world.”

“Not the world,” Dean contradicts, smirking. “Just the United States.”

“Ha ha,” Ben huffs. “Now go! And have fun, you two!”

Dean pulls him into a tight hug. “Thanks for … well, your help. You’ve been a great distraction.”

Ben snorts. “Glad to be of service. No go and don’t mess it up. I think he really likes you.”

Dean throws a glance in Castiel’s direction. “Yeah, I do too.”

And the story of Ben’s obliviousness is told many times in the following years. Every time someone asks Dean and Cas to tell the tale of their first date, at their following anniversaries (Every. Single. One.) and finally at the wedding reception. And Ben wants to be annoyed by all this but he can’t help but smile seeing Dean so damned happy.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: <http://all-i-need-is-destiel.tumblr.com/>


End file.
